Minister Dang Quoc Khanh works with international partners on sustainable development cooperation

At the meeting and working session with Mr. Honna Hitoshi - Chairman of Erex Group - one of the leading Japanese corporations in biomass power technology, currently wishing to implement projects to develop raw material areas, invest in biomass power plants and convert coal power plants to biomass power plants in Vietnam.

Minister Dang Quoc Khanh talks with Mr. Honna Hitoshi - Chairman of Erex Group

According to Mr. Honna Hitoshi, the Group has visited Vietnam and had meetings with ministries, branches and provincial/municipal People's Committees on the potential for biomass power development and the possibility of converting coal-fired power plants to biomass power in Vietnam. The Group recognizes that Vietnam is a country with large biomass resources with reserves of about 120 million tons that have not been effectively utilized. This valuable resource includes converted agricultural by-products and waste. Converting agricultural by-products and waste helps agriculture serve industry. The Chairman of Erex Group believes that the effective use of this biomass resource will contribute to changing the Vietnamese economy .

In a discussion with Erex Chairman, Minister Dang Quoc Khanh assessed that Erex is a company with experience in converting coal-fired thermal power plants to biomass power plants in Japan with a number of initiatives such as the mechanism of co-firing biomass fuel with coal fuel to adapt to the increasing demand for electricity. Therefore, Erex Group's investment strategy will be suitable for Vietnam's current conditions - a development in line with the international commitment to zero net emissions by 2050 along with stable base capacity serving other socio-economic activities.

In further discussion with Mr. Honna Hitoshi, the JCM mechanism is currently considered one of the mechanisms to concretize the orientation of the Paris Agreement, with great potential to become a global mechanism with an increasing network of participating countries. Vietnam is one of the leading countries in implementing the JCM mechanism in the world and can completely use the JCM as a tool to achieve the greenhouse gas emission reduction targets in the NDC, developing a low-carbon economy.

The two sides believe that after today's meeting, Erex Group and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will have more effective cooperation activities, contributing to further deepening the relationship between Vietnam and Japan, especially in the field of natural resources and environment.

Projects in this mechanism need to be correct, accurate and compatible with the needs and conditions of each economic sector in Vietnam, only then can we have a feasible roadmap, comprehensive scope and attract effective participation and coordination from all components of society, from ministries, departments, branches to local people's committees.

Therefore, Minister Dang Quoc Khanh emphasized that the proposals and projects of Erex Group need to create jobs, ensure the lives of local people implementing the project, and ensure sustainability and prestige for the state and enterprises.

Minister Dang Quoc Khanh took a souvenir photo with the working delegation.

Minister Dang Quoc Khanh and Chairman Honna Hitoshi assigned the specialized agencies of both sides to develop cooperation programs. The two sides believe that after today's meeting, Erex Group and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment will have more effective cooperation activities, contributing to further deepening the relationship between Vietnam and Japan, especially in the field of natural resources and environment.

*** On the morning of March 4, Minister Dang Quoc Khanh had a meeting and worked with Mr. Kees van Baar, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Vietnam. Minister Dang Quoc Khanh and the Ambassador discussed the cooperation program between the two sides in the coming time based on the goals and conditions of Vietnam and the Netherlands.

Minister Dang Quoc Khanh received and worked with Mr. Kees van Baar, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Vietnam.

Also at the meeting, information was provided about the King and Queen of the Netherlands' planned official visit to Vietnam in the next few days (March 18-22, 2024). Minister Dang Quoc Khanh and Ambassador Kees van Baar believe that this important visit of the King and Queen will further deepen the Vietnam-Netherlands relationship, bringing the two countries' relations to develop stably, substantially and long-term in all areas, especially cooperation in resources and environment.

Through the visit of the King and Queen, the Minister assigned the Department of International Cooperation to coordinate with the Embassy to arrange a meeting between the Minister of Infrastructure and Water Resources Management of the Netherlands Mark Harbers and the Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam for the two sides to discuss cooperation programs.

Mr. Kees van Baar, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Vietnam

Also at the meeting, with the strengths and potential of the Netherlands, Minister Dang Quoc Khanh, through Ambassador Kees van Baar, will be a bridge for the Netherlands to support Vietnam in geological management work such as researching documents on Vietnam's essential minerals, supporting the development of the draft Law on Geology and Minerals...; requesting the Netherlands to consider and support the implementation of basic surveys and water resources planning; perfecting the legal framework on water resources management such as the revised Law on Water Resources and related Decrees and Circulars, building a water resources database, and sharing experiences in water resources management.

In the field of Climate Change, we hope that the Netherlands will continue to support the training of postgraduate human resources in this field, provide technical support in the development of renewable energy in Vietnam, especially for solar power technology, offshore wind power and integration of renewable energy sources in the operation of the power system; share experiences in updating the National Plan for Climate Change Adaptation (NAP)...; in the field of environment, we suggest that the Netherlands consider and support Vietnam in promoting the implementation of a circular economy through recycling and reusing waste into valuable goods and products; develop policies and technical standards to develop projects that convert waste into energy; share experiences and provide technical support in the management, development and application of technology for treating household waste, common industrial waste and special waste to limit greenhouse gas emissions...

Ambassador Kees van Baar said that the Dutch Embassy will do its job well and believe that after today's meeting, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment and the Dutch Embassy will further deepen the relationship between the two countries in general and strengthen the cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands in the field of natural resources and environment in particular.

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